I wanted to share what has been happening in the Philippines since I left. The group has enthusiastically continued in the Lord, meeting nightly to share together. The 37 new believers in Jordan are taking active roles in their worship times. The district pastor and family visits frequently and the helpers from my time there have stayed on awhile to strengthen the new church. Plans have commenced to provide a place of worship and livelihood programs have begun.
I prayed a great deal about what to leave at my departure and decided on serveral priorities.
SWORDS - Bibles for each newly baptized. Between my site and where the two others of “my” team went, our home church provided 70 Bibles.
SHEPHERD - Since the pastor has at least seven churches over a wide area, I am paying a small stipend for a dedicated layman who had moved temporarily to the village before my arrival and was willing to stay. He is trained in NEWSTART and gardening and is a humble man of God.
SHEEPFOLD or SHELTER - Since there was no nearby church to incorporate these new believers into and because an offshoot movement had also targeted the village, I feel that it is very important to have a place to meet temporarily until a church is built. Land has been rented and a small amount of money for a roof is needed to build a temporary shelter on a piece of land we hope can be purchased at $10 a square meter/square yard, for the future church.
SUPPORT - A livelihood program has commenced under the direction of the district pastor and ADRA Philippines to assist these very poor peaple to make a living. Most of these village fold make their living from a dump, “scavengers” as they call themselves. Some make their living with coconuts, 1 peso a peice. Bare cost of liveing between 4000 to 6000 pesos a month.
SUSTENANCE - I am encouraging the lay leader and others to teach and demonstrate good gardening techniques and to assist with tools and seeds to begin family gardens and/or a community garden near the church for those who have no land.
SCHOOL - In the future my dream is to also provide a school to grow the children up on Christ centered education and also for practical skills as suggesed by the district pastor.
Please continue to remember them in your prayers.
Categories:
